Bulls’ Noah leads NBA defensive team polls

MANILA, Philippines - Chicago’s Joakim Noah and Indiana’s Paul George received the most votes on this year’s NBA all-defensive team, released Monday.

Less than two months after a landslide victory in balloting for the league’s defensive player of the year, Noah was the only player to receive more than 100 first-team votes and earn more than 200 points for the team. Noah received 105 of 123 possible votes, while George had 65 votes. The rest of the first team consisted of Clippers guard Chris Paul, Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka and Golden State swingman Andre Iguodala.

It’s the second consecutive year Noah was chosen to the first team.

Four-time league MVP LeBron James and defensive player of the year runner-up Roy Hibbert were both on the second team.

Noah dominated on the defensive end this season, joining Andre Drummond of Detroit and Anthony Davis of New Orleans as the only players in the league to average at least 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals. Noah finished sixth in the league in rebounding (11.3), 12th in blocks (1.51) and helped the Bulls hold opponents to 43.0 percent field goal shooting, the second-best mark in the league. He also had 1.24 steals per game. (AP)